Tigers rout Phoenix, 42-14

Dillon Warren came into Saturday's Homecoming game against Cumberland already among the nation's leaders in kick returning. He kept his place among the elite with a 73-yard return for a touchdown and added a touchdown catch in Georgetown's 42-14 win over the Phoenix. The win moves the Tigers to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Mid-South Conference.

With weather conditions less than ideal, both teams set out to establish the running game in the first quarter. After an exchange of early punts, Cumberland took a 13-play, 7 minute and 23 second drive to the Georgetown 33. The Tigers' defense stiffened from there, forcing the Phoenix to punt on a 4th-and-14. AFter the punt went into the end zone, the Tigers took the ball at their own 20 with just over 3:30 to go in the opening quarter. Darius Neal, the reigning MSC Offensive Player of the Week, got Georgetown moving with 2 carries for 29 yards on the first 3 plays of the drive. On a 1st down from the CU 34, Gehrig Slunaker found LaDarion Montgomery down the right sideline for a 10 yard gain. Montgomery was hit out-of-bounds on the play, drawing a personal foul flag against Cumberland and moving the ball to the Phoenix 12. 2 plays later, Slunaker lobbed a perfect fade to Dillon Warren for a 9-yard score, putting Georgetown up 7-0, with 2 seconds left in the 1st.

After each team punted twice to start the 2nd, the Tigers got possession on its own 19 with 8:26 left in the quarter. On the 2nd play of the drive, Darius Neal found an opening on the left side and broke down the Phoenix sideline for a 26-yard run to the Tiger 45. Georgetown moved into Phoenix territory 2 plays later when Slunaker connected with JC Shegog at the Phoenix 38 for a pickup of 17. After a short run, Slunaker found Matt Miller streaking down the right sideline wide open for a 36-yard score and a 14-0 lead, capping a 6-play, 81-yard drive.

Georgetown's defense continued to hold the Phoenix run game in check on the next drive and after a 27-yard CU punt, Georgetown took the ball back on its own 45 with just under 4 minutes left in the half. Isaiah Cobb got the call on this drive with 2 runs of 4 yards each to start things off. On the 3rd-and-2, Slunaker hit Dillon Warren for 26 yards to the CU 21. After 2 incomplete passes, Cobb got the ball on 3rd-and-10 and picked up 8. This forced Head Coach Chris Oliver into a decision. A field goal try from Drew Rader would have covered just 30 yards, but with a wet turf and a circling wind, Coach Oliver decided to go for it on 4th-and-2, and it worked. On a sprint out, Slunaker found Aaron Maggard in the flat for a gain of 7 to the Cumberland 6 as the clock moved under 1 minute remaining. Isaiah Cobb would finish the drive with 2 more runs for the touchdown, to give the Tigers a 21-0 lead at halftime.

With Georgetown set to get the ball to start the 3rd, Cumberland chose to kick short to negate the vaunted Tiger return game. The plan backfired as Dillon Warren picked up a bouncing kick at his own 27, got key blocks down the Georgetown sideline and made the house call with a 73-yard touchdown return, his 2nd such score of the season. 12 seconds into the 3rd quarter, Georgetown took a 28-0 lead.

Cumberland's run-heavy offense took the field looking for any momentum but the Tigers were unyielding. On a 3rd-and-11, linebacker Colton Cornish came through on a blitz to bring down Phoenix QB, Luke Holloway, forcing another punt. Thanks to a punt of just 22 yards, Georgetown's next drive started at the Cumberland 47-yard line. The first play was a run of only a yard, but Cumberland was called for illegal hands to the face, thus tacking 15 yards onto the end of run and moving the ball to the Cumberland 31. On 1st down, Slunaker found tight end, Luke Olive, across the middle for a gain of 11. The Tigers worked into a goal-to-go sequence from the 10, but would only need 1st down as Darius Neal broke through the right side of the Tigers' dominant offensive line, for his 11th rushing touchdown of the season and a 35-0 Tiger lead midway through the 3rd.

Cumberland finally got on the board early in the 4th on a 10-play, 56-yard drive, thanks to a 1-yard plunge from QB Luke Holloway. Georgetown was in no mood to let the Phoenix hang around. On 2nd-and-7 from the Georgetown 32, Gehrig Slunaker connected with JC Shegog on the left sideline near midfield, and Shegog took it from there to the house for a 68-yard touchdown, the longest passing play of the season, and a 42-7 lead with 9:55 to go. The Phoenix would respond with another score from Holloway on the ground, but it was too late as Georgetown improved to 18-4 all-time against Cumberland with the 42-14 win.

After a tough last 2 games, Tiger QB Gehrig Slunaker showed his happiness being back home as he went 14-21 passing for 226 yards and 3 touchdowns. The running back tandem of Darius Neal and Isaiah Cobb combined for 143 yards and 2 TDs. JC Shegog ended the day with 4 catches for 100 yards and the score. Dillon Warren's numbers totaled 132 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns. Chad Holleran and Peyton Standifer led the defense with 10 & 7 tackles, respectively. The Tigers also added 2 more sacks to the tally on Saturday from Colton Cornish and Jamell Smith.

Georgetown next prepares for a road trip to Faulkner on Saturday, October 21st. Kickoff in Montgomery, AL is scheduled for Noon ET.